Far Side Virtual Downloads
Far Side Virtual is a studio album by the American electronic musician James Ferraro, released on October 25, 2011 by the record label Hippos in Tanks.First conceived as a series of ringtones, the album marked Ferraro's transition from his previous lo-fi recording approach to a sharply produced, electronic aesthetic that deliberately evokes sources such as elevator music, corporate mood music.
's latest stares down our contemporary world of the future, invaded by iPads, overwhelmed by Skype meetings, and caught up in the unnecessary conveniences of self-serve frozen yogurt spots, with an equal sense of dread and awe. All those 1980s and 90s approximations of the future, in which we'd collectively have luxury stacked on top of luxury, actually sort of arrived, and they're totally awesome- and really fucking creepy. Far Side Virtual is inspired by goofy junk like (composed by Brian Eno, it should be mentioned) and the melodies that kick out of a medium-priced keyboard when you punch the 'demo' button. It's a collection of eerily wholesome sounds delivered in an uncomfortably straightforward manner.
Either a whole lot of work or very little work went into this record. This is a 'sell-out' album.
Not in the pejorative sense of pandering- it's actually a much more difficult listen than his previous work- but because it's intended to score mindless comfort and endless hours of outlet shopping. And unlike his other releases, which toyed with similar concepts of getting lost in the technological, consumerist singularity of energy drinks, action flicks, and worldwide web convenience, this one doesn't send the soundtrack through the gossamer hum of a VHS. There's no distance between the concept and the execution here. Every sound on, say, 'Fro Yo and Cellular Bits'- a triple threat of rocking drums, melting synths, and a guitar solo that wants to be Eddie Van Halen but comes closer to - is clear as a bell. Indeed, the songs here are exactly the same as what they're ostensibly parodying, which is bold and maybe even the point. Such dedication to an aesthetic means Far Side Virtual gets a little tedious: It's 16 songs that aren't all that catchy but aren't exactly ambient either. Subsumed by his concept, Ferraro is one with the buying and selling machine, which was perhaps his perverse goal all along.
'Hopefully these songs were made available for ringtone,' he declared in this, 'and the album will be condensed into ringtone format, so the album won't be the centerpiece, it will just dissipate into the infrastructure.' There is however, an obsessive focus on authenticity that really works towards justifying the album's goofy indulgences.
Quite a few tracks feature a robotic voice speaking to you ('Sir, Richard Branson's avatar says hello'), providing a bizarre, world-building aspect to the project. And, hey, this kind of music is pretty great!
There is a place for pleasant, lilting tunes made to be ignored. The propulsive MIDI symphony of 'Dubai Dream Tone' and the stiff jazz on are undeniable and surprisingly affecting- like a cyborg Vince Guaraldi was placed in front of a keyboard and told to knock out some somber tunes. The nightmarish qualities of the music begin to break through on 'Dream On' and 'Condo Pets', both of which possess some of the creepy, cacophonous drone of Citrac or, subtly unveiling the horrors behind music that's just way too springy and wide-eyed. You suddenly realize you're listening to 45 minutes of utilitarian music that doesn't really have a purpose. Can something be utopian and dystopian at the same time? Maybe even always.
James Ferraro
Far Side Virtual is an album by James Ferraro, released digitally and on vinyl in 2011 by the label Hippos in Tanks. The album marked Ferraro’s transition from his previous style of lo-fi drone music toward a sharply produced electronic aesthetic. Far Side Virtual deliberately evokes the artificial style of corporate “elevator music” and obsolete computer sounds.
Far Side Virtual Download
Ferraro said he first conceived of the album for release as a series of ringtones, and that listeners using songs from the album as ringtones is the completion of the project. The album engages with concepts of hyper-reality, simulacra, disposable consumer culture, 1990s retro-futurism, advertising and branding, pop art, and musical kitsch. Critics have found Ferraro’s attitude toward his themes ambiguous, depicting the modern world as both bleak dystopia and uncanny utopia. Far Side Virtual has been cited as one of the original catalysts of vaporwave, an underground electronic music movement that covers much of the same sonic and conceptual territory. Buy Vinyl: Download (mp3): —released in October 2011——— Vapor Memory: 014.